[Leo]
I woke up with a start and started looking around to see where I was. It took some time for me to focus past the stinging in my eyes, but I could see the wedding hall through a green haze. Did I fall asleep in Lulu again? I groggily thought. When did she become lime flavored? There was a flash of light that felt both familiar and filled me with regret, and then whatever I was in rocked in a wave of mana.
It burned away the cocoon I was in and spilled the liquid across the carpeted floor. I suddenly found that I couldn't breath, retching more of the burning goop out of my lungs. I finally managed to take a clear breath as the goop boiled away.
As I got my breathing under control, I did my best to take in the room. Almost everyone was staring in awe at the royal couple as they touched back down. Lulu was reforming herself, so I figured that she was also in a cocoon, while Fluttershy was crouched over something out on the balcony.
With a wheeze, I dragged myself over to Lulu. <<How'd we get back here?>> I coughed at her.
<<The changelings brought us here after the explosion-
The ball hit the ground long before we did and detonated in a massive explosion.
-knocked Zann and I out.>> Lulu explained. <<I imagine they cocooned you when you were knocked out by it.>>
<<Wait...>> I interrupted her. <<I wasn't with you two? I thought I was with you two?>>
Lulu looked at me oddly. <<... No. You told us to get the children-
Zann fired a Flamethrower to get the insects off of the tiny pods and Lulu and I quickly freed the children from their prisons.
-somewhere safe, remember?>>
I frowned. <<I... think so?>>
<<Wow.>> Lulu blinked. <<You must've been really close to the explosion if you have memory loss. Did you see what caused it, if you can remember it?>>
I concentrated. <<Not... really? I remember firing Solar Flares down a street at a group of changelings, and us freeing some foals from cocoons, but not much else after that. I think-
I rode the shock wave even higher.
-I was flying at one point?>> I sat down, confused.
<<Maybe...>> Lulu looked over at Fluttershy. <<Maybe we can get Yomega to look at your head when the venom wears off.>>
<<Why not Conner?>>
Lulu's face fell. <<Conner... He's...>> She sniffed. <<There wasn't any time... He threw himself in front of a mana bolt meant for Cadence and Shining...>>
<<What?! But-?>> I looked back over at Fluttershy. <<CONNER!!>> I ran over to the pegasus, startling everyone near me doing so. I ran around Fluttershy's side and slid to a stop beside the large canine in front of her.
Conner lay on his side, his white ribbons splayed out on the balcony, the blue and pink tips trailing back into the hall. His pink and white bows flopped down from their places. The larger one at the base of his left ear rustled in the soft breeze, but the one on his chest lay still, the fur on his pink tail and paws sometimes joining in with the ear bow's movement. Conner's pink ears dropped over the edge of the balcony, the pink fur on the back of his head brushing up against the railing.
<<J-Joy?>> I asked, listening to the Pack and the ponies slowly coming over. <<I-is Conner...?>>
"H-he's alive." Fluttershy whispered. "Just... Badly injured. I..."
"Should we move him?" Twilight asked.
"... Y-yes." Fluttershy said. "Can you levitate him back to the suite?" She looked over at Cadence and Shining. "I'm very sorry, but I might miss your wedding if he doesn't wake up in a couple of days."
"Actually..." Shining nervously spoke up. "We were thinking of holding it later this evening, mostly as a political move."
Cadence nodded. "A way of showing our allies that we won't let a simple invasion stop us." Her expression softened, and she shared a look with Shining. "... But we can wait a few days for the repair work to get started, at least."
Shining nodded. "I'm also going to need to set up an appointment with a psychiatrist." He confided to us. "I want to make sure I'll be okay after having Chrysalis in my head for so long..."
"Wait," Twilight frowned at him, Conner hovering in her mana, "you knew? Why didn't you try to warn anypony?"
"It was part of whatever spell she cast on me." Shining explained. "Every time I tried, the words died in my throat, and my hooves refused to write. And it physically hurt me to go against whatever she ordered..." Shining sighed. "I was aware of everything, Twilight. Even at the end. I was trapped in my own body, and..." He shook his head and sighed. "Cadence is right, we should let the repair work get started. Something wrecked the Scholar district-
I growled and Glared at the things in front of us.
-something fierce."
Cadence gave her fiance a weak smile. "Did your connection with the queen tell you that?" She tried to inject some humor into the conversation.
"No." Shining pointed with his hoof. "You can see it from here..."
I followed his hoof to see a massive crater in the city. Buildings at its edge lay in crumbling ruins, except for those near the university. The university itself now stood on a small cliff that jutted into the crater itself. Rubble lay at the bottom of the crater in a shallow pool of water that was trickling in from the sewer pipes. Many buildings for several streets around the crater's edge had chunks blown off or holes in their roofs from where debris had hit them.
"Land's sake." Applejack breathed. "I hope no one, pony or changeling, was caught in that."
Celestia frowned. "I'm going to need to coordinate with the guard and help look for survivors." She held a wing out to Shining. "And no, you need to rest for now. Although, if you can go make sure my sister is alright..."
"At once." Shining bowed, wincing as he straightened up.
"We'll help you." Twilight offered. "After making sure Conner's okay, of course."
Celestia nodded, then took to the skies.
Yomega stared at the crater with dilated eyes. <<I see a weeping angel of vengeance, carried aloft by pain and anger. Did the Bagon learn to fly? Or is that a will be? How much of this is real?>> He asked as our mares started to walk towards the hall's entrance.
<<Are you okay?>> Vince asked Yomega.
<<Yes, Cy, I'm fine.>> Yomega smiled at him.
Cy waved at him from his other side, a sleeping Abes draped over his back. <<Yo, I'm over here.>>
Yomega gave him a puzzled look. <<I knew that?>> He shook his head. <<I know what's wrong. I can't get a proper read on when it'll be over, but the changeling venom is starting to wear off. Very slowly.>> He looked back into the hall. <<Do you guys see a little alicorn foal running around in there?>>
<<Nope.>> Zann stated, then started to lead Yomega after our mares. <<Is she a cute foal?>>
Yomega smiled. <<Very. She takes after her mother.>> I made my way in front of the pack so that there was more room for everyone to get out. <<Oh, Leo?>>
I stopped and looked at him. <<Yes?>>
Yomega gave me a sad smile. <<You've got a strange mental block-
I lost consciousness as they covered me in wax.
-on you. Do you want me to remove it?>>
<<Sure.>> I shrugged. <<If it's something the 'lings did to me, then I want it dealt with soon. But shouldn't you sober up->>
<<Kay!>> He chirped, interrupting me before his lavender eyes started glowing. <<Oh... OH!>> His smile slipped. <<Leo, I... I'll let you deal with this in your own time, but this block needs to go. I'll take you back to the room, and I'll make sure that no one else bothers you about it. I... I'm so, so sorry, Leo...>>
<<Are...> I squinted at him. <<Are you crying?>>
<<I feel your pain...>>
I opened my mouth to argue but-
I locked eyes with the vermin. <<Die.>>
-I let out a horrified wail at what I had done, collapsing in sorrow.